Waymo has a school bus problem

Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are racking up local traffic violations, and now the federal government is getting involved. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Waymo after its autonomous vehicles were caught violating multiple traffic laws around school buses in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. 

NHTSA said in a letter sent Wednesday to the Alphabet-owned company that it is investigating its automated driving system as well as its ability to “follow traffic safety laws” when school buses are near. The Office of Defects Investigation, which is part of NHTSA, began looking into Waymo’s school-bus violations in October, after one of its autonomous vehicles “failed to remain stopped” around a stopped school bus in Atlanta.  

In addition to the Georgia incident, Waymo has garnered 20 traffic citations for passing stopped school buses from the Austin Independent School District since the beginning of the school year, according to a Friday report from CBS Austin. Austin ISD has acknowledged at least 19 of these incidents; Quartz has reached out to the school district to confirm the most recent alleged violation.

Austin ISD said five of these incidents occurred after Waymo told the school district in a separate Nov. 5 letter that “software updates were in place to resolve the issue,” according to a letter dated Nov. 20 from Austin ISD to Waymo. 

The school district asked Waymo to “immediately cease” operations during school pick up and drop off hours “until more in-depth software updates are completed.” Austin ISD said in its letter that Waymo is "averaging 1.5 violations per week.” 

“We cannot allow Waymo to continue endangering our students while it attempts to implement a fix,” the school district said. 

Austin ISD said Waymo denied its request to halt operations when school buses are in use, CBS Austin reported. 

Waymo said in a statement to the outlet on Tuesday that it “swiftly implemented software updates” to address the school-bus incidents and will “continue to track and implement more as needed.”

Waymo did not immediately respond to Quartz’s request for comment. 

NHTSA requested further information from Waymo, including vehicle incident reports, its “approach to safety around stopped school buses,” whether its approach varies by location. 

“ODI is concerned that ADS-equipped vehicles exhibiting such unexpected driving behaviors or not complying with traffic safety laws concerning school buses may increase the risk of crash, injury, and property damage,” NHTSA said. 

If Waymo doesn’t respond “promptly and fully” to NHTSA’s letter, the administration said the company could be subject to civil penalties, including fines as high as $27,874 per violation per day. Waymo has until January 20 to respond to NHTSA’s requests. It can ask for an extension “no later than five business days before the response due date,” the administration said. 

While Waymo faces safety concerns, a new investigation, and the death of a bodega cat, it's also apparently trying to make its vehicles drive more like humans do, according to a Tuesday report from the Wall Street Journal.